Rational and Emotional Ways of Thinking#
The way we think determines how we perceive the world. It is also the tool we use to understand and interpret the world. Superficially, thinking can be divided into two types: rational and emotional.
The concepts of "rational" and "emotional" are also dialectically related, both conflicting and interdependent. Most people possess both types of thinking, but they do not consciously differentiate and apply them when thinking about problems.
Rational Thinking#
Since the division of arts and sciences during our school days, students have been educated to think rationally as science students and emotionally as humanities students. Similarly, when we, as students of science and engineering, come to understand and comprehend the world, we heavily rely on rational thinking, to the extent that in Western films and TV shows, the stereotypes of mathematical and scientific geniuses are often associated with nerds.
We usually advocate for rational thinking, emphasizing the importance of reasoning, logic, and analytical thinking. Compared to our innate ability for emotional thinking, rational thinking is a powerful method we acquire later in life to analyze problems and understand the world. Every scientific discipline and every great mind is born under the dominance of rational thinking. The education we receive equips us with the powerful tool of rational thinking, although the degree to which individuals master it may vary.
Rational thinking can help analyze emotional experiences, such as psychological analysis in psychology, which uses rational thinking to analyze the emotional psychology of individuals (although I believe this often leads to no results). Many people also believe that rational thinking can solve all problems (although this belief itself is emotional).
Rational thinking is known for its logic and objectivity, and anyone who is reasonable and logical is skilled in rational thinking.
Emotional Thinking#
Different from the acquired tool of rational thinking, emotional thinking can also be referred to as emotional experience. Similar to a child's desire for ice cream, it arises without reason or method, purely from subjective feelings.
When we are hungry, we want to eat; when we see something beautiful, we appreciate it; when we see something terrifying, we feel fear. All these undeniable emotional experiences stem from the instincts that have evolved within us.
While rational thinking is powerful, it cannot completely replace our emotional experiences. When each of us rides a roller coaster, we are fully aware of our safety and that it is just for entertainment, but we still feel the terrifying sensation of weightlessness when we drop. No matter how clear our rational thinking is, it cannot dispel this fear. I would call this emotional experience brought about by fear "emotional thinking."
Some may argue that it is inappropriate to refer to emotional experiences as a form of "thinking" because, in common understanding, thinking is supposed to be logical, and the term "thinking" is limited to rational thinking. However, whether it is logical thinking or emotional experience, the ultimate conclusion or feeling is the final experience of brain activity. Emotional thinking usually corresponds to human intuition, as subjective feelings that come directly without logical deduction. In the process of intuition, the subconscious completes the corresponding brain activity, which is simply an unconscious thinking process.
Simultaneous Occurrence of Emotional and Rational Thinking#
As mentioned above, emotional thinking and rational thinking are not independent of each other. Behind a person's emotional experience, there often follows a certain logical reasoning (otherwise, there would not be a field like psychoanalysis), and a person's rational thinking does not block their emotional experience.
In the typical portrayal of rational characters in film and television works, such as Spock in "Star Trek" and Sheldon in "The Big Bang Theory," their character development often includes the idea that "even such rational individuals cannot abandon their emotional experiences." The emotional aspects of their experiences often represent "human nature" or "one side of a person."
Specifically, Spock's anger after the destruction of his home and his irrational behavior in love, he still tries to explain them with his rational thinking tools. Sheldon's tantrums, seen by the audience as a childish side, are also amusing when he tries to justify himself with rational thinking.
Therefore, the distinction made earlier between rational thinking and emotional thinking is intended to clarify their differences rather than categorize them as opposing thinking processes. Generally, when people are thinking about complex problems, they cannot think purely in terms of rationality or emotion.
The Issue of Rationality and Emotionality#
Just as there are different ways of thinking, there are also rational and emotional aspects to problems.
Rational problems are the most common, representing all the mathematical and scientific problems we encounter during our school years. Objective, logical thinking provides us with answers to rational problems, and the ability to solve such problems depends on our ability to apply rational thinking.
Gradually, we apply rational thinking to other complex aspects of our understanding of the world, such as thinking about what makes a good person, how much money is enough, and what we want, among other similar questions. Through rational thinking, we can ultimately arrive at an answer that seems plausible but cannot be definitively determined. We define these answers as being different from person to person, and we hastily conclude the discussion of these questions by choosing the answer we believe in.
However, ultimately, these questions contain emotional elements that rational thinking cannot analyze or perceive. It is these emotional elements that make the answers to these questions subjective and vary from person to person.
Emotional Problems#
If readers still believe that the above questions can be easily answered through thinking and have not experienced what I call "emotional elements," then the following two questions that I often use as examples are purely emotional problems in my opinion. "What is the meaning of life? Or what kind of life should we live?" and "What is love, really?"
In my eyes, the nature of these two questions is similar. Firstly, the biggest difference between these questions and rational problems is that there is never a definitive answer. Each person may have a different answer to these questions, and that is why countless people have given their own interpretations throughout history.
However, regardless of the answers, the meaning of life is based on the subjective factors of "I am alive" and "I want to continue living." People do not exist in the world only after thinking about the meaning of life rationally. Therefore, I am more inclined towards existentialism and positive nihilism (the belief that life has no inherent meaning and it is up to us, who are still alive, to give it meaning).
The question of what love is becomes even more emotional. Love is often just a feeling that cannot be defined from a rational perspective. Some people may analyze this feeling as a change in hormones, while others may analyze that love cannot be separated from materialism. But ultimately, love is a subjective experience, a purely emotional experience.
Using the Correct Tools in Problem Solving#
For example, when thinking about romantic relationships, many people overly rely on rational thinking to analyze emotional problems, which ultimately leads to incorrect conclusions. Many people in relationships ask each other a mysterious question, "Why do you love me?" The reason why it is considered mysterious is that love, as a subjective experience, cannot be fully explained through rationality. If we can truly find a correct, logical, and objective reason for love, then that feeling has nothing to do with love.
Similarly, when contemplating the meaning of life, no matter which logical philosophical thinking we adopt, we are easily trapped in nihilism, believing that life has no meaning. This is because the answers from rational thinking are often definitive, singular, and objective. However, the meaning of life is also a highly subjective matter. As long as I believe it has meaning and as long as I continue to pursue life, it holds extraordinary meaning for me. Therefore, only by incorporating emotional thinking can we determine a "correct answer" that we personally accept for this question.
Perhaps emotional problems never have definitive answers, but it is precisely because of their emotional nature that one of the answers we believe in becomes the correct answer for us personally. Therefore, in such questions, we can greatly exercise our freedom of will and subjective feelings as human beings, rather than always seeking a rational thinking result.
Furthermore, there is often a saying in male-female relationships that "don't argue with women using logic." This essentially represents the conflict between rational thinking and emotional thinking. People who are good at rational thinking are often good at problem-solving but are not clear about why they solve problems. Ultimately, all human actions are motivated by certain emotional factors. For example, resolving conflicts in a romantic relationship is to better promote the relationship, and promoting the relationship is to better enjoy love. Therefore, when dealing with such "problem-solving" situations, blindly relying on rationality and presenting facts goes against the emotional factors involved.
Therefore, when arguing with a partner, in addition to focusing on the logic and reasoning of the situation, it is also worth considering the emotional experiences and needs that arise from the conflict. After all, the ultimate goal of problem-solving is emotional.
In reality, it is also difficult for me to explain to someone who has never been in a romantic relationship why people should fall in love or why they should invest in intimate relationships. Perhaps it is because such questions are often filled with emotional factors, and even if I have a strong desire to be with someone, it has nothing to do with "why" and "how." From a realistic and objective perspective, I cannot provide a definitive answer through rational thinking.
Conclusion#
Therefore, when contemplating emotional questions, it is essential to follow our own inner feelings and search for our subjective experiences. If we are not good at recognizing our own subjective experiences, we can try meditation to observe our inner selves or visit an art gallery to enhance our ability to discern subjective experiences.
As someone who has always been indoctrinated with the supremacy of rationalism, I have previously overlooked my own emotional experiences and needs, to the point where many questions seem unanswerable, and even when my logic is consistent, something still feels off. The first time I read Zhu Guangqian's "On Beauty," I felt the emotional thinking in my heart that could lead to insights without logical reasoning. Since then, I have realized how important the humanities are to our inner selves, which have been suppressed by rationalism.
Please do not neglect the emotional factors in the process of rational thinking. A person's ultimate happiness and fulfillment come from within, not from the objective world.